Instagram now allows users to comment on Stories, with those comments visible to other viewers.

Instagram has introduced several new text-based creative tools. For Reels and Stories, users now have access to expanded fonts, effects, and animations, along with a simplified text tool. For Photos and Carousels, users can now add text and layer images using stickers.

Twitch has introduced Drop Ins for Stream Together, making it easier for creators to go live with each other.

Instagram has launched a Collages feature. Users, including myself, received a notification in direct messaging that says, “Try collages created from your photos,” prompting them to try the feature. However, when I tapped on “Try It,” nothing happened. According to the screenshot, this feature allows you to customize collages from your camera roll, which can then be shared in chats.

Instagram is testing a vertical profile grid format, displaying posts as rectangles instead of the traditional square format. This change was initially discovered by several creators, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri later confirmed the test during a recent Ask Me Anything session.

Instagram has launched Music on Profile, allowing users to add a 30-second song clip to the bio section of their profile via a new "Music" option in "Edit Profile." Profile visitors can play and pause the track, and users can save and set the song to their own profiles.

Instagram appears to be in the process of updating Insights after announcing that Views would become a primary metric across content. While that major change hasn’t happened yet, there have been a few recent updates to Insights. One is the ability to sort content performance based on Shares.

Threads has rolled out Custom Feeds for both desktop and mobile. Users can choose from hashtags, keywords, and profiles to create feeds, which they can also name. Once saved, the feed will appear in the Your Feeds section, alongside other feeds like Following, Liked, and Saved.

YouTube is experimenting with new content discovery experiences on the Watch Page and in Shorts. Viewers in this test may encounter various video formats in different experiences, such as long-form videos appearing in the Shorts feed or new feeds dedicated to long-form content.

YouTube is expanding its partnership with Shopify, allowing eligible Shopify Plus and Advanced merchants in the US to join YouTube Shopping’s affiliate program. Merchants can sign up through the Google and YouTube app on Shopify and manage their programs via Google Merchant Center.

YouTube has introduced an AI-powered tool in the Help Center to assist creators with account recovery after hacks. This new feature helps secure Google logins and undo changes made by hackers. Currently available in English, YouTube plans to expand access to all creators soon.